Kirkland Analytics, a Spokane startup that helps commercial buildings manage water use, won the top prize of $10,000 at this week's WTIA Fall First Look Forum. The Washington Technology Industry Association is a not-for profit trade group that supports technology companies and professionals, trying to…
Ryan Arnold has been chosen as Greater Spokane Incorporated's first director of its recently launched Entrepreneurship Program. The job is focused on adding energy and guidance for area entrepreneurs and startups. Arnold has primarily focused his efforts in Kootenai County. He created a consulting firm…
Big news if you are into food. A second Trader Joe's comes to north Spokane. The graphic here shows the layout of Franklin Park Mall. TJ's goes into roughly half the Rite-Aid building there on North Division. Rite-Aid, we're told, will leave the mall portion…
Spokane company Dionysius Technology has 13 days left to reach the $85,000 mark in its Kickstarter Campaign, to raise money for the first production of its Sonic Decanter. The product removes oxygen and oxides from wine with the claim that the change in chemistry improves…
Ouch. A few days after the SR reported on Spokane Valley manufacturing firm ATC moving to Post Falls, we see a wire story announcing that furniture maker Kimball will close its Post Falls operation. The AP story: JASPER, Ind. — Office furniture maker Kimball International…
Let's not get too disappointed that Beardbrand didn't score a nice deal on Shark Tank last week. Truly, if the PR mill can be trusted, the mustache-beard movement is healthy and prospering. Beardbrand's fortunes are sure to spike as the world finds continuing need for…
Spokane startup Beardbrand got the short end of the strop last Friday when the company competed for venture money on ABC TV's show Shark Tank. Company co-founder and CEO Eric Bandholz said the sharks on the panel regarded the company as too niche and didn't…
Scott and Deanna Reckord, who operate the Sullivan Scoreboard Bar and Grill, will open a new sports bar and pub in the former Painted Hills Golf Course clubhouse, at 4403 S. Dishman-Mica Road. They call the business the Clubhouse at Painted Hills. Developer Dave Black,…
Spokane startup Beardbrand, a men’s grooming products company, will compete for financial backing during Friday’s network TV show “Shark Tank.” Company CEO Eric Bandholz will introduce the company and products to the show’s panel of five “sharks” or business or venture fund advisers. Beardbrand's ecommerce…
The Nut Factory, a fixture along Interstate 90 for more than 15 years, will close its retail store-production site and move its wholesale operations to another warehouse. Owner Gene Cohen said the Spokane Valley site, at 19425 E. Broadway Ave., will be closed in the…
Seattle travel-advisory company Utrip has added Spokane to its online directory of city destinations. The free service, also available through VisitSpokane.com, provides suggestions for travelers to find and experience a city using Utrip’s suggestions. Utrip, started in Seattle by former Spokane resident Gilad Berenstein, provides…
Are you ready to pay for your parking with a smart phone? City officials believe that's the future. They're testing and about to deploy eventually a couple hundred new-styled parking meters that allow payments via apps (or through near-field communication, for those with NFC-enabled devices).…
Spokane company Dionysus Technologies Inc. has launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise money to help develop and distribute its innovative system for improving the taste of wine. It's called the Sonic Decanter, and the $85,090 Kickstarter campaign is part of the plan to release the…
Who is the guy brave enough to take a chance on developing the rocky one acre plot just along Ruby Street, near Gonzaga University? He's David Schneider, a developer out of Southern California. He and partners (not identified) are working on a 60-unit Ruby Apartments…
If you wondered how Spokane's 14-year-old phenom entrepreneur Brooke Martin is doing, here's the answer. She's doing very well. Her company, icPooch, is up and running and selling the widely-heralded icPooch treat dispenser she developed with her father, Chris Martin, and others. She recently won…
We print the quarterly Hart Capital NW stock index, which shows a relative gauge of 12 area publicly traded companies. It's measured against the S&P 500. Here's the 3Q index in graphic form. The story that goes with the index summary ran last week.
AmericanWestBank has announced plans to acquire Bank of Sacramento. The deal, announced Wednesday, is subject to regulatory and shareholder approval. Founded in 1998, Bank of Sacramento has $468 million in assets and four branches, all in the Sacramento area. AmericanWest has $4 billion in assets,…
Spokane Mayor David Condon is the guest speaker tomorrow -- Thursday -- at a business lunch hosted by K&L Gates law firm. The lunch runs from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Lincoln Center, at 1316 N. Lincoln St. Condon will speak on the…
Greater Spokane Incorporated is hosting a Green Economy symposium in downtown Spokane today (Wednesday), starting at 3:30 p.m. at the Spokane Club. Who's presenting? Patrick O'Keefe, a senior VP and managing director at CH2M Hill; Elson Floyd, president of Washington State University; and Philip Mezey,…
Spokane-based Red Lion Hotels is not done with its plans for Seattle. Two months ago it announced it will sell its Bellevue hotel. Last year it also sold off its downtown hotel and made it one of its franchise properties. On Monday the company announced…
Josh Wade, who launched Nectar Tasting Room in 2011 in downtown Spokane, is adding a wine-and-beer specialty store and pub in the Kendall Yards neighborhood. He will move into a 2,200-square-foot space adjoining Veraci Pizza, east of Central Food. His new location will be called…
Finders Keepers Jewelry store on Spokane, originally started by Deena Caruso, is closing down. It's offering huge markdowns to help sell off its inventory, that's it, said co-owner Connie Pearce. Here's their Facebook page. The expected last day is Oct. 25. Caruso was the guiding…
About 40 U.S. attorneys general announced they arranged a $105 million settlement with AT&T Mobility to resolve consumer problems over the problem of cell phone "cramming" charges. Washington will get about $807,000 from the settlement. Idaho will get about $230,000 from the settlement. The news…
Spokane’s Women’s Business Center is hosting a session Friday morning on landing contracts with area government and education agencies or with Fairchild Air Force Base. Aimed at small-business owners and managers, the free event runs 8 a.m. to noon at the East Central Community Center,…
Spokane marketing and advertising firm Market Vision Inc. has relocated to new offices at 3925 N. Monroe St., in the Garland District. For about 15 years the company has been based in the historic former city firehouse at 1229 N. Monroe. KPBX Public Radio purchased…